Instructions:
1. Place your soaked mixed nuts into a food processor, pulsing until they form a coarse texture.
2. Add 2 tbsp coconut oil, 2 tbsp maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt and process again. Add ¼ ripe banana and processing until the mixture becomes sticky.
3. Scoop out the mix and spread over the bottom of a lined pan, and press down firmly.
4. Keep the base in the freezer to harden while you prepare the filling!
5. Place the soaked macadamia nuts, almond milk, lime juice, 6 tbsp maple syrup, vanilla extract, and 6 tbsp coconut oil into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
6. Remove the cheesecake pan from the freezer and pour the filling on top of the crust, using the back of a spoon to ensure an even top.
7. Return the cheesecake pan back to the freezer for approximately 2-3 hours, or until firm.
8. To serve: Remove the cheesecake from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to thaw slightly.
9. Garnish with crushed walnuts, lime zest, and shredded coconut. Yum!

With Spring on the horizon, so are seasonal allergies. With so many health trends on the rise, studies have been popping up surrounding gut health and hay fever. Improving your gut health has been shown to reduce the symptoms of hay fever and seasonal allergies. So start working on those gut healing foods, or get tested for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and see what all the fuss is about!

Numerous health experts believe that 2019 is the year of plant protein. Health, ethical, and environmental concerns will cause more people to eat less animal proteins, and switch to plant-based diets. These trends continue to grow with the increased consumption of avocado, kale, quinoa, vegetable-based juices, rainbow carrots, and beets.

Gut health experts share the 18 best ways to tackle IBS symptoms, as reported by the Daily Mail. IBS and SIBO symptoms can go hand in hand; as 80% of IBS patients may in fact have SIBO.

Dr. Simon Smale👨🏻‍⚕️, a gastroenterologist at Manchester University, claims we can transform our gut health with these top tips.

1. Choose red wine over spirits 🍷
2. Ditch carbonated drinks and enjoy herbal teas instead
3. That includes “diet” fizzy drinks
4. Ready-made meals are a no go
5. Take a clinically proven antibiotic 💊
6. If nothing is working, meet with a Dietitian
7. Limit your intake of onions and garlic
8. Eat less broccoli and cauliflower 🥦
9. Avoid Brussels sprouts
10. Watch out for fruits such as plums, nectarines, and mangoes
11. Improve your sleep routine 😴
12. Go to bed at the same time every night
13. Avoid bright lights before bed
14. Rollerblade around the block or go for daily walks
15. Get up from your desk to stretch every hour 🤸🏼‍♂️
16.Try incorporating yoga into your daily routine
17. Try two coffees per week instead of per day ☕️
18. Don’t leave long gaps between meals

1. Many women feel guilty about their gut issues and ultimately go undiagnosed. When they feel bloated or constipated, they typically blame it on something they’ve eaten. Dr. Ellen Vora shares, “Women tend to blame themselves for just about everything. We may think to ourselves: ‘I didn’t eat cleanly enough, so now I pay the price.’” This ongoing problem highlights the lack of conversation surrounding digestive issues.

2. Gut problems aren’t limited to your digestive system. Dr. Ellen Vora explains, “We think that if we have bloating or diarrhea, it means our gut is unhealthy, but we fail to recognize that it has profound downstream ramifications for our health. That dysfunction is not limited to your gut, but in fact impacts your mental health, your hormones, your period, your skin, your joints, your energy, your immunity, your risk of developing an autoimmune disease, and just about everything else.”

3. Women’s microbiomes are different than men’s. “For one thing, women’s gut microbiomes shift with our cycles,” Dr. Ellen Vora explains. In addition, your gut flora is impacted by female-focused products including makeup, perfume, and birth control, and it can also be affected by female-specific life events such as pregnancy. Bottom line: Your gut-health issues aren’t just about what you eat and do for your body. There are many factors—that are often out of your hands—affecting your flora.